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Thread: cheap, low insurance, good handling, fun

  1. #1
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    cheap, low insurance, good handling, fun

    Hey guys,
    for several months ive been looking around trying to find cars that are cheap and have good handling. As a college student i don't have a lot of money to throw around, insurance is a concern too, the lower the better.
    Currently i drive an 88 Pontiac Fiero with a 2.5 4cyl. it gets great mileage and flies through corners. The 88 fieros, being the last year they were made, had the best suspension and brakes which was a major improvement on the already great handling cars. The problem is that its a 2 seater which is a little impractical and insurance isnt cheap on this car. my age doesn't help either.

    What im looking for is a car that is pretty cheap. So late 80s and early 90s is fine by me. I want something that handles well or can at least has potential to have great handling with little upgrading (like swaybars, and a coil over kit).
    engine size and horsepower doesn't really matter much to me, i prefer a smaller engine because i still want good mileage and i would like to have at least 100 horsepower, my fiero puts out about 90 and gets me around just fine. of course i would like some more power but its ok.
    I want something with 4 to 5 seats if possible so that i have more storage room plus i can carry around more than one buddy.
    i prefer 2 doors, but 4 is ok, im also a fan of hatchbacks, especially a 3 door
    something easy on the insurance.
    something cheap to upgrade/maintain, i suppose you could think civic or something like that. Except i KNOW there are better cars out there

    im not into crazy body kits or neon everywhere. ill probably make a DIY under tray to improve aerodynamics and increase mileage when im driving easy (most of the time). performance wise ill probably make a DIY cold air intake and if i happen to have money id like a modest exhaust which is preferably quiet, just something to help improve efficiency.
    if im feeling extreme, which i might later on, i might even start throwing out weight, plus size the rims an inch or so with lighter rims, basically anything that would improve efficiency and handling (which of course, would improve mileage). i dont plan on any performance upgrades that decrease mileage such as cams/remap.
    intake, exhaust, roller lifters, port matching, better valves/valve springs, GOOD oil lol, and things like decent spark plugs and wires are all ok. things that improve efficiency WITHOUT increasing fuel consumption.

    cars i like but have ruled out would be
    Toyota MR2. its a 2 seater, and upgrading and or maintenance can be pricey.
    Miata. its a two seater
    rx7, id love this one but if problems arise, pricey to fix.
    Toyota Supra, two seater.

    i guess i might be looking for something like really early 90s honda accord which seems to fit my wants and needs.
    maybe even early model integras (a bit rougher on mileage but acceptable)
    what else is there?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    cheap, low insurance, good handling, fun
    pick any two?

    with integra's being most stolen car in the US i'd say your insurance for that would be high.
    S12 gazelle?
    mitsubishi starion perhaps, not widely known.
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    pick any two?

    with integra's being most stolen car in the US i'd say your insurance for that would be high.
    S12 gazelle?
    mitsubishi starion perhaps, not widely known.
    oh no i cant believe i over looked the theft part. lol, anyways...
    Im liking the gazelle, looks very Initial D. Actually im not sure ive ever seen one in person either so that would be cool.

    im not really a fan of "being that guy with another civic" but for my needs it could definitely work. throw in a coil over kit, sway bars, and probably strut bars and its already what i want it to be. then i start doing little stuff like make a pvc intake which sounds ghetto but they work fine. New urethane bushings and then id probably be done for a long time. id have a car with all the storage/seats i need. still all street legal, still passes emissions, still has the great mileage it started with, and corners great.
    an accord would be a step up, it already works better in most aspects. same mods and it would be golden. well, for what i want anyways.
    ive seen some acura legends around and they look nice. i think i might do a little reasearch on those.

    im open to american cars too. im crazy about the mkII volkswagen gti except they seem really rare, dont think ill get a hold of one. !!!, insurance is probably a bitch on the gti, nevermind. but if i found one it would probably be worth it. whatever lol.

  4. #4
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    Early Ford Focus hatch?

    Great handling, practical and it must be cheap to run.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  5. #5
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    how about a 89 or 90 honda crx? they get great mileage. it is a 3dr hatchback. although i haven't driven one personally i hear they have great handling and are really fun to drive i'm not from the states so i'm unaware of how much insurance rates are down there..

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
    im open to american cars too. im crazy about the mkII volkswagen gti except they seem really rare, dont think ill get a hold of one. !!!, insurance is probably a bitch on the gti, nevermind. but if i found one it would probably be worth it. whatever lol.
    Just saw that.

    I've driven a 16v GTI and they are pure hot hatch goodness except for the driving position which is a tad odd (but I'm used to a BMW). They are practical, but in the US I wouldn't be too sure about cheap runing costs.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  7. #7
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    The obvious choice would be a Slobalt or Cavalier.

    But if you are after something cheap to insure....well...Yeah, a Focus Hatch might be OK, except they were made like fisher price in the US.

    Mazda Protege? if you can find one they're not terrible.
    <cough> www.charginmahlazer.tumblr.com </cough>

  8. #8
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    I don't know, IBFR... a couple of friends have Focus hatches and swear by them. The 4-door is downright spacious. Build quality seems good. Not a bad choice, pretty nice for the price and cheap to run. Add some reasonable tuner bolt-ons (or maybe just wheels/tires) and roll.
    Never own more cars than you can keep charged batteries in...

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Synyster View Post
    how about a 89 or 90 honda crx? they get great mileage. it is a 3dr hatchback. although i haven't driven one personally i hear they have great handling and are really fun to drive i'm not from the states so i'm unaware of how much insurance rates are down there..
    apparently a bitch to work on

    EG or EK civic would work well, wouldn't be very hard to find a cheap one with engine conversion already done.
    failing that a fox body mustang, or an older 330i BMW
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    apparently a bitch to work on

    EG or EK civic would work well, wouldn't be very hard to find a cheap one with engine conversion already done.
    failing that a fox body mustang, or an older 330i BMW
    325i E30?
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  11. #11
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    rolling on from IB4R's decision, yes..
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    rolling on from IB4R's decision, yes..
    It'd be funny if he then got stuck with some Japanese box in the end and this guy with a proper drivers car...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  13. #13
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    IB4R already had a moneypit E30 though, so it's only fair he gets the lightweight touge runner.
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  14. #14
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    I had an '86 e30 325 in college...lots of fun but certainly not cheap to maintain, and I would think any one you'd find now would be way up there on the odometer...A GTI would be a good choice, or a GLI for that matter.

    Even an old 911 has a back seat
    Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain one as an adult.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    apparently a bitch to work on

    EG or EK civic would work well, wouldn't be very hard to find a cheap one with engine conversion already done.
    failing that a fox body mustang, or an older 330i BMW
    or if u can find a VX model civic hatchback.. they were made to be economical all around.. they were made lighter and more fuel efficient.. too lazy to list everything defferent about em but look em up on wiki or sumthin

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